By Ellen Eisenberg

By Ellen Eisenberg, Executive Director of The Professional Institute for Instructional Coaching (TPIIC)

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

My son recently sent me a few blogs about the growth of
technology companies and I was pleasantly surprised by some of the attributes
the managers of the tech companies seek in their employees and the striking
similarities to the field of instructional coaching. They want employees who
can handle freedom (take initiative), accept personal accountability (be at the
right place at the right time), and possess a constructive measure of humility
(they appreciate learning from others).I would venture to say that these attributes are closely aligned to what
we believe is important for instructional coaches and implementing an effective
instructional coaching model.

I was intrigued by the companies who intentionally design
their top-level management structures to include ways to break down the silos
that force separation of information. It appears they are trying to help their
employees create collaborative environments that encourage shared thinking
around data so that all perspectives can be taken into consideration when
designing company-wide improvements and identifying industry trends. They are
highlighting the merits of the team approach and collective responsibility, all
the while keeping the “client or customer” front and center.

If that doesn’t sound like what we are trying to accomplish
with instructional coaching, I don’t know what does!

What are some
strategies you have encouraged in your school to enhance collaboration and
shared thinking? How does this collective thinking help achieve your school
wide improvement goals?

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Ever the English teacher, I’m drawn to articles, blogs, and
commentaries about what amazing things happen in the English classroom where
students are reading the literature that set my heart on fire so many years ago
(and continues to do so!) as a student in a large urban school district. In
fact, I’m drawn to anything and everything that shares innovative ideas that
engage students, regardless of the content areas!

I’ve been reading a lot about how schools can help students
engage more in their learning. Of course, we all want students to take
ownership of their learning and try to offer them multiple opportunities for self-directed
learning. We want them to WANT to learn; we want them to LIKE school. Unfortunately,
some students are disenfranchised, and their teachers might not know how to
pull them back into a learning mode. They might not know a variety of ways to
provide “peak moments” (borrowed from
Education Week, January 18) in learning. You know, peak moments like the one I
experienced when our book was published! (I will never forget that celebratory
moment.)

Students can experience those peak moments if their teachers
are able to create ongoing instances for those moments to occur. Here’s why
instructional coaching is so critical… instructional coaches create the
circumstances where colleagues collaborate and talk about practice. The more
teaching colleagues talk about teaching and learning, the more likely it is
that those “peak moments” can become the norm in classrooms. Sharing ideas and
multiple ways to approach effective instructional delivery is essential for
student and teacher success.

As a coach, how do you
help teachers create those “peak moments” that define the classroom experience?